The Great American Novel chords

Larry Norman

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  			 G                                       C                 G 
  I was born and raised an orphan       In a land that once was free 
  You are far across the ocean           In a war that's not your own 
       Bm                                           Am            D 
  In a land that poured it's             love out on the moon 
 And whilst you're winning theirs   You're gonna lose the one at home 
       G                               C                    G 
  And I grew up in the shadows     Of your silos   filled with grain 
 Do you really think the only way  To bring about the peace 
            Bm                            C          G 
  But you never helped to   fill my empty spoon 
 Is to sacrifice your children   And kill all your enemies 
          G                                               C             G 
  And when I was ten you murdered law     With courtroom politics 
   The politicians all make speeches   While the news men all take note 
            Bm                                Am            D            G 
 And you learned to make a lie sound just like truth But I know you better now ed 
 And they exagerate the issues  As they shove it down our throats 
                           C                           G 
 And I     don't   fall   for   all   your  tricks 
 Is it really up to them   Whether this country sinks or floats 
              Bm                        C               G 
 And you've lost the one advantage of my youth 
 And I wonder who would lead us  If none of us would vote 
             G                              C              G 
 You kill a black man at midnight    Just for talking to your daughter 
 Well my phone is tapped and my lips are chapped  From whispering through the fence 
           Bm                                     Am                D 
 Then you make his wife your mistress   And you leave her without water 
 You know every move I make  Or is that just coincidence 
          G                                   C                       G 
  And the sheet you wear upon your face  Is the sheet your children sleep on 
  Well you try to make my way of life  A little less like jail 
       Bm                        Am                  D   (Dsus4) 
  And every meal you say a prayer  You don't believe but still you keep on 
  If I promise to make tapes and slides  And send them through the mail 
 
C     Csus     D        G          C       Csus                  D      G 
And your money says 'In God We Trust' But it's against the law to pray in 
school 
C      Csus     D       G           C      Csus           D          G 
You say we beat the Russians to the moon  And I say you starved your children 
to do it   

(final) 
C      Csus          D       C      C     Csus             D         G 
You say 'all men are equal all men are brothers  Then why are the rich more 
equal than others 
            C          Csus       A   D          G 
 Don't ask me for the answer I've only got one 
                 C         Csus               D             G 
       That a man leaves his darkness when he fol  lows the Son